Agriculture Innovation Initiative

Agriculture Innovation Initiative

An investment to leverage our core areas of strength in new and exciting ways for food, agriculture and beyond — bringing together the unparalleled K-State student experience, teaching, discovery and engagement to spark groundbreaking interdisciplinary ideation and generate positive economic, community and societal impacts.

The Future is Bright for Agriculture at Kansas State University

Hear from university and industry leaders, students and faculty as they speak on the impact of K-State's Agricultural Innovation Initiative.

 

Campaign Progress

$210,000,000 Goal

68%

$143227755*

*State, philanthropic, and university total funds.

What is an Interdisciplinary Focus?

An interdisciplinary focus involves crossing boundaries between traditional academic areas like agronomic breeding, biological ag engineering and statistics to address complex issues like how to use digital ag tools to make informed, data-driven decisions. These issues will take multiple tools and skills to understand and solve. See how the Ag Innovation Initiative is bringing Interdisciplinary Focus to life.

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About our Facilities

Our state-of-the-art facilities will have engaging research and workspaces to promote creativity and innovation by encouraging students, faculty and partners to explore novel ways of approaching problems. This approach trains the future workforce in collaborative thinking with other disciplines and strengthens public-private partnership opportunities.

 

Agronomy Research and Innovation Center

This center will bring research teams together from all around campus, working hand-in-hand with industry to make new discoveries in areas such as crop production or soil health and develop new solutions for issues like water management that are resilient, efficient, profitable and sustainable for generations to come.

Animal Science Arena

This project includes a new multispecies competition arena to support teaching and youth and extension efforts in equine and livestock sciences.

Global Center for Grain and Food Innovation

The global agriculture and food sectors are increasingly complex, and investments in this new center strategically connect K-State’s world-renowned animal science and food science programs with our unique grains science programs to address both opportunities and challenges.

 

In the Know

troy anderson

Now is the Time to Invest in the Future of the College of Agriculture - Troy Anderson, Ardent Mills

November 13, 2023

Troy Anderson, vice president of operations at Ardent Mills and K-State Class of 1992 graduate, has been a lead voice for the Ardent Mills gift to the Ag Innovation Initiative and believes that this initiative's success is fundamental to the College of Agriculture at K-State.

 

Farm Credit Associations of Kansas and CoBank invest $1 million in Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture’s innovation centers

Farm Credit Associations of Kansas and CoBank invest $1 million in Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture’s innovation centers

April 11, 2023

Four Kansas Farm Credit Associations and CoBank recently combined to give $1 million to support the Kansas State University College of Agriculture’s innovation centers for grain, food, animal and agronomy research. This investment will fund new facilities and renovations of current buildings, along with improvements in the technology and equipment necessary for interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research and continue to enhance the college’s exceptional student experience.

 

Ardent Mills donates $3.5 million for Kansas State University’s new agriculture innovation centers

Ardent Mills donates $3.5 million for Kansas State University’s new agriculture innovation centers

March 17, 2023

The premier flour milling and ingredient company commits to helping advance K-State’s global grains and food initiative. The Kansas State University Foundation today announced that Ardent Mills has pledged $3.5 million to support the Kansas State University College of Agriculture’s innovation centers for grain, food, animal and agronomy research.

 

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What people are saying
The Agriculture Innovation Initiative at Kansas State University is very unique. Kansas is a leading agricultural state that has adapted; it's changed. With these changes, it’s time for a change in approach. Problems in Agriculture involve many cultural, societal and economic filters. With these multifaceted issues, institutions in higher education have to become more interdisciplinary oriented. We have to ask questions like, “How do we bring the best and brightest minds from all aspects of an institution together to solve the grand challenges for the state, the country and the world?” Then, these institutions have to help solve them.
Marshall Stewart, Executive Vice President, Kansas State University
There are so many progressive opportunities within ag. On campus, Kansas State has a nice shiny new business building, architecture building and engineering building. They attract those who don't come from an ag background. The College of Ag needs similar buildings here at Kansas State. These buildings will attract students so that we can have the most diverse and thought-provoking student body and faculty and faculty so that the College can have a diverse and thought-provoking student body. The Ag Innovation Initiative is needed to keep Kansas State world-class in everything it does.
Troy Anderson, Vice President of Operations, Ardent Mills

Invitation to invest

Now is the time to invest — Kansas State University has an inspiring opportunity. To help the world’s ability to feed two billion more people by 2050. To contribute to a Kansas economy that thrives. To optimize agriculture for the highest levels of efficiency and yield. The sky’s the limit.

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